Keyshawn Johnson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Keyshawn Johnson

Johnson with the Carolina Panthers in 2006
No. 19
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1972-07-22) July 22, 1972 (age 52) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:	211 lb (96 kg)
Career information
High school:	Susan Miller Dorsey (Los Angeles, California)
College:	West Los Angeles (1991–1993) USC (1994–1995)
NFL Draft:	1996 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1
Career history
New York Jets (1996) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2000) Dallas Cowboys (2004) Carolina Panthers (2006)
Career highlights and awards
Super Bowl champion (XXXVII) 3× Pro Bowl (1998, 1999, 2001) Paul Warfield Trophy (1995) Unanimous All-American (1995) Third-team All-American (1994) Pop Warner Trophy (1995) Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year (1995) 2× First-team All-Pac-10 (1994, 1995)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 814 Receiving yards: 10,571 Receiving touchdowns: 64
Player stats at PFR

Joseph Keyshawn Johnson (born July 22, 1972) is a former American football player. He was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.

Keyshawn played college football for the USC Trojans. He was named an All-American twice. The New York Jets chose him first overall in the 1996 NFL draft. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Carolina Panthers.

He was one of only three wide receivers ever picked first in the NFL draft. Keyshawn won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Buccaneers in 2003. After retiring in 2006, he became a sports broadcaster for ESPN and FS1.

Early Life and College Football Journey

Keyshawn Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California. He went to Palisades Charter High School and then Susan Miller Dorsey High School. Keyshawn was a talented football player.

He started his college football career at West Los Angeles College. After a break, he returned to football in 1992. His strong performance helped him transfer to the University of Southern California. He played for the USC Trojans football team in 1994 and 1995.

In 1994, he caught 66 passes for 1,362 yards and 9 touchdowns. The next year, in 1995, he had 102 catches for 1,434 yards and 7 touchdowns.

College Achievements and Awards

Keyshawn was recognized as a top college player. He was named a first-team All-America selection twice. In 1995, he helped the Trojans win the 1995 Cotton Bowl Classic. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

The Trojans later played in the 1996 Rose Bowl. Keyshawn caught 12 passes for a Rose Bowl record of 216 yards and one touchdown. USC won 41–32 against the Northwestern Wildcats. He was named the Player of the Game. Keyshawn was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 2008.

While in college, Keyshawn appeared on the TV show Coach. He graduated from USC in 1997 with a degree in social sciences and history.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

New York Jets Years

The New York Jets chose Keyshawn Johnson as the first overall pick in the 1996 NFL draft. He was only the third wide receiver to be picked first in NFL draft history. He played three seasons (1997–1999) under coach Bill Parcells.

Under Parcells, the Jets improved greatly. They went from 1–15 in 1996 to 12–4 in 1998. They also won their first ever AFC East Division title. One of Keyshawn's best games was in a playoff win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1998. He caught nine passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for a touchdown and even intercepted a pass on defense! The Jets lost the next game, missing the Super Bowl.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Super Bowl Win

On April 12, 2000, Keyshawn was traded to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers gave up two first-round draft picks for him. He then signed a large contract, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL at that time.

In 2002, Keyshawn won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers. This happened after new head coach Jon Gruden joined the team. Keyshawn had 76 catches for 1,088 yards and five touchdowns that season. In the Super Bowl, he had six catches for 69 yards. After the 2003 season, he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys.

Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers

On March 19, 2004, Keyshawn joined the Dallas Cowboys. He was reunited with his former coach, Bill Parcells. In 2004, Keyshawn led the Cowboys in receiving yards. He also tied for the lead in touchdown catches. He became a strong leader for the team.

On March 16, 2006, the Cowboys released Keyshawn. He then signed a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers on March 23, 2006. He was expected to play alongside Steve Smith. On November 13, 2006, Keyshawn made history. He became the first player to score a touchdown on Monday Night Football with four different teams. He played for the Jets, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Panthers. Keyshawn was released by the Panthers on May 1, 2007, after one season. He had 70 catches for 815 yards and four touchdowns with them.

Retirement and Legacy in Football

On May 23, 2007, Keyshawn Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL. He turned down offers from several teams. He decided to become an analyst for ESPN instead.

Keyshawn was selected to the Pro Bowl three times. He played in the Pro Bowl in 1998 and 1999 with the Jets, and in 2001 with Tampa Bay. He finished his career with 814 receptions. This placed him among the top receivers in NFL history. His 10,571 receiving yards is also one of the highest totals ever.

He reached 600 career receptions in just 118 games. This was the second-fastest in NFL history at the time. Keyshawn caught 512 passes in his first 100 games. This was the fourth most receptions for a player's first 100 games. He caught a pass in every one of his first 135 games played. This was a very long streak for a receiver. Keyshawn had 60 or more catches in ten of his eleven NFL seasons.

In 2001 and 2002, he was the first Buccaneers player to have two straight seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards. He had 1,266 yards in 2001 and 1,098 in 2002. Keyshawn missed very few games due to injury during his career.

Keyshawn's Unique Jersey Number

Keyshawn Johnson wore number 19 throughout his career. This was unusual because, for most of his career, NFL rules did not typically allow wide receivers to wear numbers in the teens. When he joined the Jets, all the usual receiver numbers (80s) were taken. He was allowed to keep number 19. He continued to wear it with the Buccaneers, even though 80s numbers were available.

The NFL allowed this because number 19 was not in the 50-79 range, which is reserved for offensive linemen. After Keyshawn joined the Cowboys in 2004, the NFL changed its rules. Receivers could then wear numbers from 10-19, as well as the 80s. Since Keyshawn retired, the NFL has expanded number options even more. Receivers can now wear numbers from 0-49, in addition to 80-89.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Life as a Sports Analyst

Keyshawn Johnson joined the 2007 NFL draft broadcasting team for ESPN. In 2007, he became an ESPN analyst for Sunday NFL Countdown and Monday Night Countdown. He created a fun segment called C'mon Man!. In this segment, panel members pick a funny or unbelievable moment from the NFL week.

He also worked on other ESPN shows and radio programs. Keyshawn sometimes hosted Jim Rome Is Burning. After a brief break in 2016, he returned to ESPN. On August 17, 2020, Keyshawn started hosting a morning show on "ESPN LA 710" KSPN. The show was called "KJM" and he hosted it with Jay Williams and Max Kellerman. As of June 30, 2023, Keyshawn is no longer working with ESPN. He has since joined Paul Pierce and Joy Taylor to co-host the FS1 weekday show Speak.

Other Activities and Interests

In 2005, Keyshawn co-founded First Picks Management. This company helped him explore business in food, hotels, and real estate. He worked with other NFL and NBA athletes on this venture.

In November 2008, Keyshawn got a contract for a TV series called Keyshawn Johnson: Tackling Design. The show aired on A&E in July 2009. It showed Keyshawn using his knowledge of interior design to help people redecorate their homes.

In 2012, Keyshawn appeared in Jägermeister's "A Stronger Bond" campaign. In 2013, he was a contestant on the 17th season of Dancing with the Stars. He was paired with professional dancer Sharna Burgess. He was the first celebrity voted off that season.

Personal Life

Keyshawn Johnson has four children: Keyshawn Jr., Maia, London, and Vance. His son, Keyshawn Johnson Jr., was also a wide receiver at the University of Nebraska. His nephew is former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Images for kids

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  Keyshawn Johnson with the Carolina Panthers in 2006

See also

In Spanish: Keyshawn Johnson para niños